Five times Open champion Tom Watson coaches Maybole's Stephen Maxwell in the tented Village at the Seniors Open at Royal Troon Golf Club (Rob Eyton image).

Tom Watson gives Troon clinic for 116 youngsters

American golfing legend Tom Watson thrilled 116 local youngsters by giving them a golf coaching clinic at Royal Troon Golf Club today.
The 58-year old, winner of five Open Championships, hosted the session for young players aged nine to 14 ahead of The Senior Open Championship, which takes place this week (July 24 – 27).
As well as meeting one of golf’s greatest champions, and picking up invaluable tips on how to improve their games, the young golfers were given a tour of the famous Royal Troon links, as well as the tented village and Media Centre.
Sixty of the children invited are participating in Scottish golf’s junior golf programme, clubgolf, which recently announced spectacular figures for the numbers of children it has introduced to the game this year.
This year clubgolf has introduced 33,466 Primary 5 children to the sport in school and South Ayrshire is well ahead of the game. Ninety six percent of the area’s Primary 5s – 1,246 children – have been introduced to the programme this year through firstclubgolf.
One local youngster who was inspired by the Tom Watson experience was Maybole 13 year old Stephen Maxwell, who is part of the clubgolf programme at Maybole Golf Club.
“Today was great,” he said. “I learnt how to handle the grip and hit the ball straighter. I hit the ball a lot further than I can normally.
“I only started playing golf this year but I’m really enjoying it. I’ve started playing every day, now I just want to get better.”
Meanwhile the clubgolf coaching area at this week’s Championship is set to provide 250 short lessons for juniors.
clubgolf will run two bays specifically for children aged between nine and 14. A further two will be available for members of the public to book.
Said clubgolf Project Manager, Torquil McInroy, “The Senior Open Championship has made Scotland its home for a few years now, and I’m naturally delighted that clubgolf continues to work closely with this major event to promote junior golf in Scotland.
“Today was a great opportunity for children on local clubgolf programmes to meet and learn from a true golfing legend and I’m sure the experience will encourage all of them to keep playing, inspiring some to higher levels of achievement in their own golf.
“clubgolf has seen spectacular growth over the past year, and I’m grateful to the European Tour for their support in helping to make that happen.”

Rob Eyton-Jones
clubgolf Media Manager
Official clubgolf wesbite:

http://www.clubgolfscotland.com/